Combined mail receiving and delivering apparatus.



W. 1). GASTEEL. COMBINED MAIL RECEIVING AND DELIVERING APPARATUS.

APPLIOATIO'N FILED NOV. 13, 1912.

1,056,737. 1 PatentedMar.18,1913.

s SHEETSSHEET 1;

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0., WASHINGTON. D c.

W. D. GASTEEL.

COMBINED MAIL RECEIVING AND DELIVERING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV 13, 1912. 1,056,737, Patented Mar. 18, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEBT 2.

wuv/wtoT 5 myw COLUMBIA PLANCGRAPH 60., WASHINGTON, n c.

W. 1).. (JAsTBBL. COMBINED MAIL RECEIVING AND DELIVERING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOVQIB 1912.

Patented Mar. 18, 1913.

a SHEETS-SHEET s.

WWW/o I 61mm;

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON, nv c.

WILLIAM D. CAS'IEEL, 0F LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

COMBINED MAIL RECEIVING AND DELIVERING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 18,1913.

Application filed November 13, 1912. Serial No. 731,180.

T 0 all whom, it may concern Be it known that I, VILLIAM D. CASTEEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and State of Kentucky, have invented new and useful Improvements in Combined Mail Receiving and Delivering Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to mail delivering apparatus and has for an object to provide a device for delivering mail to and receiving mail from a moving vehicle.

Among other features my invention embodies a station mechanism and a train mechanism, both adapted to support mail containers and arranged so that when the train mechanism engages the station mecha nism, a transfer of the mail containers from one mechanism to the other will be effected, the operation of transferring the containers from the station mechanism to the train mechanism and from the train mechanism to the station mechanism being simultaneous.

For the purpose mentioned, use is made of a station frame for receiving and delivering mail, a train frame for receiving and delivering mail, each of the said frames being provided with mail containers so thatwhen the said frames engage a complete transfer of the containers will be simultaneously effected and means for retaining the transferred mail containers on the respective frames.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings constituting a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the views, and in which Figure 1 is a perspective view showing my apparatus provided with the usual mail containers, the apparatus being in initial position for effecting a complete transfer of the containers. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the train frame. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the train frame. Fig. 1 is a horizontal sectional. view taken substantially on the line 1- 1 in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the station frame. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the station frame. Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 77 in Fig. 5.

Referring to the views and more particularly to Figs. 1, 2, 3 and a, I provide a pair of brackets 10, 11, mounted on a side 12 of a train 13, the bracket 10 being provided with a circular transverse opening 1 1 and the bracket 11 being provided with a square transverse opening 15. Mounted to slide horizontally on the brackets 10, 11 is a supporting bar 16 having a tapered end 17, ex tended through the circular opening 14: of

the bracket 10 and a squared portion 18, ex

tended through the squared opening 15, of the bracket 11, the remainder of thebar 16 being round for a purpose that will be hereinafter more fully disclosed. Keyed to the bar 16 at the medial portion thereof is a train frame 19 having a handle 20 extended rearwardly therefrom and adapted to project into the interior of the car 13 through a doorway 21 thereof, the said frame being preferably designated as a main train frame.

A plurality of fingers 22, having tapered ends 23, are mounted on an auxiliary frame 19, mounted to swing on the outer end of the main frame 19 with the tapered ends 23 of the fingers hingedly connected to the auxiliary frame 19*, the free ends 24 of the fingers 22 being provided with laterally extending pins 25 slidably extended through openings 26 in the auxiliary frame 19, springs 27 being mounted to encircle the pins 25 with the ends of the springs abutting against the fingers 22 and. the auxiliary frame 19 to normally retain the free ends 24 of the fingers 22 in spaced relation relatively to the auxiliary frame 19, stop flanges 28 being provided on the outer ends of the pins 25 to limit the outward movement of the fingers 22. The fingers 22 at their medial portions are provided with locking flanges 29 and adjacent the free ends thereof the said fingers are provided with retaining flanges 30, portions 31 of the fingers 22, adjacent the retaining flanges 30 being reduced in size relatively to the fingers 22 to receive a mail frame 32, the said mail frame being provided with a mail bag 33 removably connected to the ends thereof by suitable snaffle books 34 as will be readily understood, the mentioned mail frame being mounted on the fingers 22 by first moving the fingers inwardly toward the frame 19 and against the action of the springs 27 so that the mail frame can be passed over the reduced portions 31 of the fingers 22 to abut against the flanges 30 and limit the inward movement of the mail frame, the mentioned fingers being then released to move out wardly from the auxiliary frame 19 by the action of the springs 27, thus retaining the mail frame in engagement with the fingers at the reduced portions 31. Suitable guideways 35 are mounted on the auxiliary frame 19 and have pins 26, secured to the fingers 22, slidably operable in slots in the guideways 35 for guiding the fingers 22 in their movement relatively to the frame 19. Mounted to slide on the frame 19 is a locking bar 37, actuated by a spring 38, the outer end of the locking bar being grooved for engagement with a rod 39 secured to the auxiliary frame 19, an end of thesaid rod being extended to be engaged by the medial portion of the mail bag 33, thus retaining a portion 40 of the mail frame 32 in spaced relation relatively to the auxiliary frame 19 as will be hereinafter more fully disclosed. hen the outer end of the locking bar 37 engages the rod 39, the auxiliary frame 19 will be rigidly positioned relatively to the frame 19 and by disengaging the locking bar 37 from the rod 39, the auxiliary frame 19 can be swung relatively to the frame 19 to permit the operator in the car 13 to easily and quickly adjust the mail frame 32 on the fingers 22.

hen the auxiliary frame 19 is in supporting position as shown in Fig. 1, the square portion 18 of the bar 16 will be in engagement with the bracket 11, which provided with the squared opening 15 will prevent any turning of the bar 16 and the frame 19 will extend outwardly from the bar 16 with the auxiliary frame 19 positioned vertically relatively to the frame 19. When it is desired to attach or detach the mail frame 32 from the auxiliary frame 19, the operator grasps the handle 20 and by exerting pressure thereon the bar 16 will be moved toward the bracket 10, thus disengaging the squared portion 17 from the bracket 11 so that the rounded portion of the bar 16 will be received in the squared opening 15 of the bracket 11, thus permitting the bar 16 to turn and the auxiliary frame 19 will move gravitationally down ward so that the same can be received in the doorway 21 of the car 13. Now by operating the locking bar 37, against the action of the spring 38, the frame 19 can be swung inwardly toward the car so that the operator can disengage the mail frame 32 from the fingers 22 or position the mail frame thereon as will be readily understood.

The station mechanism is disclosed in Figs. 1, 5, 6 and 7 and consists more primarily of astation frame 49 provided with a rear upright 50 and a horizontal bar 51, an auxiliary frame 49 being mounted to turn on the main frame 49 and the bar 50 and normally retained in rigid position by a hook 49 mounted on the bar 51 and adapted for engagement with eyelets 49 secured to the auxiliary frame 49*. Fingers 52, having tapered ends 53 and similar in construction to the fingers 22, are mounted to swing on the auxiliary frame 49 with the tapered ends of the fingers hingedly connected to the auxiliary frame, free ends 54 of the fingers being provided with laterally extending pins 55 slidably extending through openings in the auxiliary frame 49 springs 57 being mounted to encircle the pins 55 with the ends of the springs abutting against the fingers 52 and the auxiliary frame 49 to normally retain the free ends 54 of the fingers in spaced relation relatively to the auxiliary frame 49, stop flanges 59 being provided on the outer ends of the pins 55 to limit the outward movement of the fingers 52, the mentioned fingers being mounted similarly to the fingers 22 as will be readily understood. The fingers 52 at their medial portions are provided with locking flanges 59 and adjacent the free ends thereof the said fingers are provided with retaining flanges 60, portions 61 of the fingers 52, adjacent the retaining flanges 60 being reduced in size relatively to the fingers 52 to receive a mail frame 62, the said mail frame being provided with a mail bag 63 removably connected to the ends thereof by suitable snaffle hooks 64, similar to the mail bag 33, connected to the mail frame 32 by the snafiie hooks 34 as has been mentioned heretofore. The mail frame 62 is mounted in the fingers by first moving the fingers inwardly toward the frame 49 and against the action of the springs 57 so that the mail frame can be passed over the reduced portions 61 of the fingers 52 to abut against the flanges 60 and limit the inward movement of the mail frame, the fingers 52 being then released to move outwardly from the auxiliary frame 49 by the action of the springs 57, thus retaining the mail frame in engagement with the fingers at the reduced portions 61. Suitable guideways 65 are mounted on the auxiliary frame 49 and have pins 66, secured to the fingers 52, slidably operable in slots in the guideways 65 for guiding the fingers 52 in their operation relatively to the frame 49.

The frame 19, adjacent the hinged connection of the fingers 22 with the frame 19*, is provided with slots 47 and pivotally mounted on the frame 19 are spring actuated locking dogs 48, a portion of a mail frame when the same is delivered to the auxiliary frame 19 being adapted to be received in the slots 47 and retained therein by the dogs 48. In a similar manner the auxiliary frame 49 is provided with slots 67, similar to the slots 47 and pivotally mounted on the auxiliary frame 49 are spring actuated locking dogs 68, a portion of a mail frame, when the same is delivered to the auxiliary frame 49 being adapted to be received in the slots 67 and retained therein by the dogs 68 Extending outwardly from the auxiliary frame 49 is a rod 69 having the free end thereof arranged to be engaged by. the medial portion of the mail bag 63, thus retaining a por tion 70 of the mail frame 62 in spaced relation relatively to the auxiliary frame 49 for a purpose that will be hereinafter more fully disclosed.

In the use of my device, the station mechanism is mounted as shown in Fig. 1, and the train mechanism is mounted on the train 13, as has been heretofore described, the mail frames 32 and 62 being mounted on the train mechanism and station mechanism respectively with mail bags 33 and 63 mounted. on the respective mail frames 32 and 62. the train moves past the station mechanism and the train mechanism engages the station mechanism, the tapered ends 23 of the fingers 22 pass beneath the portion of the mail frame 62, mounted on the fingers 52 of the auxiliary frame 49 and at the same time the portion 40 of the mail frame 32 will pass beneath the tapered ends 53 of the fingers 52. Now as the train passes onward, the momentum of the train will cause the tapered ends of the fingers 22 to pass beyond the rear ends of the fingers 52 and in consequence thereof the portion 70 of the mail frame 62 will be received in the slot L7 and retained in engagement therewith by the locking dogs 48, another portion of the frame 62 being adapted to abut against the look ing flanges 29, thus rigidly securing the mail frame 62 on the fingers 22 and the auxiliary frame 19. At the same time the por tion 40 of the mail frame 32 will be received in the slots 67 of the auxiliary frame 49 and the mentioned portion will be retained in the slots by the locking dogs 68 on the auxiliary frame 49*, while a remaining portion of the mail frame 32 will abut against the locking flanges 59 on the fingers 52 as will be readily understood. Thus when the train mechanism has passed beyond the station mechanism, the mail frame 32, having the mail bag 33 thereon and previously supported on the fingers 22, will be rigidly retained in engagement with the auxiliary frame 49 and the fingers 52 thereon, while the mail frame 62, having the mail bag 63 thereon and previously supported by the fingers 52, will be retained in rigid engagement with the auxiliary frame 19 and the fingers 22 thereon.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that an apparatus is provided in which both the station mechanism and train 1nechanism thereof support mail containers, which are arranged so that when the train mechanism engages the station mechanism, a transfer of the mail containers from one mechanism. to the other will be effected, the operation of transferring the mail containers from one mechanism to the other being simultaneous with the mail container formerly carried by the station mechanism, re-

'tained by the train mechanism and the mail container formerly carried by the train mechanism retained by the station mechanism.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new, is

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a train frame for connection with a vehicle, a station frame for engagement with a stationary base, an auxiliary frame mounted to swing on the train frame, tapered spring actuated fingers mounted to swing on the said auxiliary frame, pins extended from the free ends of the said fingers and projecting through apertures in the said auxiliary frame, stop flanges secured to the said pins for limiting the movement of the said fingers, locking flanges formed on medial portions of the said fingers and adapted to receive a mail frame, retaining flanges formed on the free ends of the said fingers for supporting the mail frame, an auxiliary frame mounted to swing on the station frame, tapered spring actuated fingers mounted to swing on the auxiliary station frame, pins extended from the free ends of the station frame fingers, stop flanges secured to the pins for limiting the outward movement of the station frame fingers, locking flanges formed at medial portions of the said station frame fingers and adapted to receive a mail frame, retaining fianges formed on the free ends of the said station frame fingers and adapted to support the mail frame, the mail frame mounted on the fingers of the auxiliary station frame being transferable to the fingers of the auxiliary station frame and the mail frame supported on the fingers of the auxiliary station frame being transferable to'the fingers of the auxiliary train frame when thesaid auxiliary train frame engages the mail frame on the said auxiliary station frame and the fingers on the said auxiliary station frame engage the mail frame on the said auxiliary train frame.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a train frame for connec tion with a vehicle, a station frame for engagement with a stationary base, an auxiliary frame mounted to swing on the train frame, tapered spring actuated fingers mounted to swing 011 the said auxiliary frame, pins extended from the free ends of the said fingers and projecting through apertures in the said auxiliary frame, stop flanges secured to the said pins for limiting the movement of the said fingers, locking flanges formed on medial portions of the said fingers and adapted to receive a mail frame, retaining flanges formed on the free ends of the said fingers for supporting the mail frame, an auxiliary frame mounted to swing on the station frame, tapered spring actuated fingers mounted to swing on the auxiliary station frame, pins extended from the free ends of the station frame fingers, stop flanges secured to the pins for limiting the outward movement of the station frame fingers, locking flanges formed at medial portions of the said station frame fingers and adapted to receive a mail frame, retaining flanges formed on the free ends of the said station frame fingers and adapted to support the mail frame, the mail frame mounted on the fingers of the auxiliary station frame being transferable to the fingers of the auxiliary stat-ion frame and the mail frame supported on the fingers of the auxiliary station frame being transferable to the fingers of the auxiliary train frame when the said auxiliary train frame engages the mail frame on the said auxiliary station frame and the fingers on the said auxiliary station frame engage the mail frame on the said auxiliary train frame, bars mounted on the said auxiliary train frame and the said auxiliary station frame for retaining por-' tions of the said mail frames mounted there on in spaced relation relatively to the said auxiliary train frame and the said auxiliary station frame.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a train frame for connection with a vehicle, a station frame for engage ment with a stationary base, an auxiliary frame mounted to swing on the train frame, tapered spring actuated fingers mounted to swing on the said auxiliary frame, pins extended from the free ends of the said fingers and projecting through apertures in the said auxiliary frame, stop flanges secured to the said pins for limiting the movement of the said fingers, locking flanges formed on medial portions of the said fingers and adapted to receive a mail frame, retaining flanges formed on the free ends of the said fingers for supporting the mail frame, an auxiliary frame mounted to swing on the station frame, tapered spring actuated fingers mounted to swing on the auxiliary stat-ion frame, pins extended from thefree ends of the station frame fingers, stop flanges secured to the pins for limiting the outward movement of the station frame fingers, locking flanges formed at medial portions of the said station frame fingers and adapted to receive a mail frame, retaining flanges formed on the free ends of the said station frame fingers and adapted to support the mail frame, the mail frame mounted on the fingers of the auxiliary station frame being transferable to the fingers of the auxiliary station frame and the mail frame supported on the fingers of the auxiliary station frame being transferable to the fingers of the auxiliary train frame when the said auxiliary train frame engages the mail frame on the said auxiliary station frame, the fingers on the said auxiliary station frame engage the mail frame on the said auxiliary train frame, bars mounted on the said auxiliary train frame and the said auxiliary station frame for retaining portions of the said mail frames mounted thereon in spaced relation relatively to the said auxiliary train frame and the said auxiliary station frame, locking dogs mounted on the said auxiliary train frame for retaining the transferred mail frame thereon and locking dogs mounted on the said auxiliary stat-ion frame for retaining the transferred mail frame thereon.

4. In a device of the class described the combination of a train frame for connection with a vehicle, a station frame for engagement with a base, an auxiliary frame mounted to swing on the train frame, fingers mounted to swing on the said auxiliary frame and adapted to support a mail frame, an auxiliary frame mounted to swing on the said station frame and fingers mounted to swing on the said auxiliary station frame and adapted to support a mail frame, the mail frame on the said auxiliary train frame being transferable to the auxiliary station frame and the mail frame on the said auxiliary station frame being transferable to the auxiliary train frame when the auxiliary train frame engages the auxiliary stat-ion frame.

5. In a device of the class described the combination of a train frame for connection with a vehicle, a station frame for engagement with a base, an auxiliary frame mounted to swing on the train frame, fingers mounted to swing on the said auxiliary frame and adapted to support a mail frame, an auxiliary frame mounted to swing 011 the said station frame, fingers mounted to swing on the said auxiliary station frame and adapted to support a mail frame, the mail frame on the said auxiliary train frame being transferable to the auxiliary station frame and the mail frame on the said auxiliary station frame being transferable to the auxiliary train frame when the auxiliary train frame engages the auxiliary station frame, locking dogs mounted on the auxiliary train frame for retaining the transferred mail frame thereon and locking dogs mounted on the auxiliary station frame for retaining the transferred mail thereon.

6. In a device of the class described the combination of a train frame, a station frame, an auxiliary frame mounted to swing on the train frame, spring actuated fingers mounted to swing on the auxiliary frame and adapted to support a mail frame, an auxiliary frame mounted to swing on the said station frame, spring actuated fingers mounted to swing on the said auxiliary station frame and adapted to support a mail frame, portions of the said mail frames being spaced from the said auxiliary station frame and the said auxiliary train frame so that the mail frame on the said auxiliary train frame will be transferred to the said auxiliary station frame and the mail frame on the said auxiliary stat-ion frame will be transferred to the said auxiliary train frame when the said auxiliary train frame engages the said auxiliary station frame.

7. In a device of the class described the combination of a train frame, a station frame, an auxiliary frame mounted to swing on the train frame, tapered fingers mounted to swing on the said auxiliary frame and adapted to support a mail frame, an auxiliary frame mounted to swing on the said station frame, tapered fingers mounted to swing on the said auxiliary station frame and adapted to support a mail frame, the said mail frames being transferable from one auxiliary frame to the other when the auxiliary train frame engages the auxiliary station frame.

8. In a device of the class described the combination of a train frame, a station frame, an auxiliary frame mounted to swing on the train frame, tapered fingers mounted to swing on the said auxiliary frame and adapted to support a mail frame, an auxiliary frame mounted to swing on the said station frame, tapered fingers mounted to swing on the said auxiliary station frame and adapted to support a mail frame, the

said mail frames being transferable from one auxiliary frame to the other when the auxiliary train frame engages the auxiliary station frame and locking dogs mounted on the said auxiliary train frame and the said auxiliary station frame for retaining the transferred mail frames in engagement therewith.

9. In a device 'of the class described the combination of atrain frame, a station frame, an auxiliary frame mounted to swing on thetrain frame, tapered fingers mounted to swing on the said auxiliary frame and adapted to support a mail frame, an auxiliary frame mounted to swing on the said station frame, tapered fingers mounted to swing on the said auxiliary station frame and adapted to support a mail frame, the said mail frames being transferable from one auxiliary frame to the other when the auxiliary train frame engages the auxiliary station frame and means mounted on the said auxiliary train frame and the said auxiliary station frame for retaining the transferred mail frames in engagement therewith.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM D. CASTEEL.

\Vitnesses JOHN CASTEEL, LULA L. BALLWEY.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

